Bargain Sauvignon Blanc

Filed in archive California Wines , Cheap Wines on October 20, 2006

In the continual search to expand my white wine experience, one of my recent cheap wine purchases at the grocery store include a bottle of Sutter Homes Sauvignon Blanc 2004. It was white, and I've been trying to drink more white wine lately, and it was cheap. At 2/$10, it was well under my $5.99 cheap wine limit.

So, was it good? Was it even just drinkable?

Yes to both. In fact, I was pretty surprised because while I've had good wines from Sutter Homes, you have to admit that this company isn't known for it's elite vintages. Here's their marketing blurb from their web site:

This food-friendly wine imparts bright, fresh honeydew melon, Grapefruit, and passion fruit aroma. Its rich, round flavors suggest melon, lime, and grapefruit finished with spice and minerals. An extremely versatile wine, it pairs beautifully with shellfish, broiled or pan-fried trout, snapper, sole, herb-roasted chicken, Caesar salad, mild cheeses, and vegetarian fare.

Produced primarily from grapes cultivated in California's cool north and central coast regions, with the balance harvested from warmer Sierra foothill and Sacramento Delta districts. This wine evokes the classic cool-climate examples of the varietal from New Zealand.

Often when I tip below the $5.99 mark on white wines, I'm not real impressed, but this was light, crisp, and pleasant, not overly dry or tart like some of the cheapo whites can be.